The Long Eighteenth Century: British Political and Social History 1688-1832

457 Pages·2016·5.924 MB·English

by  Frank O'Gorman

The Long eighTeenTh
CenTury
ii
The Long eighTeenTh
CenTury
British
Political and
social history
1688–1832
SeCond ediTion
Frank O’Gorman
Bloomsbury academic
an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
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BLOOMSBURY and the Diana logo are trademarks of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
First edition published 1997
This second edition published 2016
© Frank O’Gorman, 2016
Frank O’Gorman has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and
Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as Author of this work.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any
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Bloomsbury or the author.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN: HB: 978-1-4725-1103-4
PB: 978-1-4725-0774-7
ePDF: 978-1-4725-0694-8
ePub: 978-1-4725-0893-5
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress.
Names: O’Gorman, Frank.
Title: The long eighteenth century: British political and social history,
1688-1832 / Frank O’Gorman.
Description: Second edition. | New York, NY: Bloomsbury Academic, an imprint
of Bloomsbury Publishing, 2016. | “First edition published 1997.” |
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2015022914| ISBN 9781472511034 (HB) | ISBN 9781472507747
(PB) | ISBN 9781472506948 (ePDF) | ISBN 9781472508935 (ePub)
Subjects: LCSH: Great Britain—Politics and government—18th century. | Great Britain—Politics
and government—1800-1837. | Great Britain--Politics and government—1689-1702. | Great Britain—
Social conditions—18th century.
Classification: LCC DA480 .O38 2016 | DDC 941.07—dc23 LC record available at
http://lccn.loc.gov/2015022914
Typeset by Deanta Global Publishing Services, Chennai, India
To Birgit Kristensen
for incomparable fortitude
vi
contents
List of Maps x
preface to the second edition xi
introduction 1
1 Britain in the later seventeenth century 9
Place 9
Belief 14
Gender 17
society 20
economy 24
Politics 29
Notes 32
2 the Glorious revolution in Britain, 1688–1714 35
the Glorious revolution in england, 1688–1689 35
crown and Parliament, 1689–1714 43
Politics and parties, 1689–1714 49
Britain and europe, 1689–1713 56
the Glorious revolution and the unity of Britain, 1689–1714 62
Notes 71
3 Whiggism supreme, 1714–1757 75
the hanoverian succession, 1714–1721 75
the Walpolean regime, 1721–1742 80
the Pelhams and patriotism, 1742–1757 95
Notes 101
4 the social Foundations of the early hanoverian regime, 1714–1757 105
the identity of Britain 105
the ruling order: oligarchy and deference 111
the middling orders: enterprise and docility 117
Urban society: culture and elites 121
the common people: assertion, festivity and direct action 125
Notes 132
5 the Political Foundations of the early hanoverian regime, 1714–1757 135
Politics and print 135
crown and Parliament 138
the state: central and local 143
viii contents
Whigs and tories 150
the Jacobites 159
Notes 166
6 What Kind of regime? (1714–1757) 169
a stable regime? 169
a confessional regime? 172
a european regime? 179
Notes 183
7 Patriotism and empire, 1756–1789 185
commerce and empire 185
William Pitt and the seven years’ War, 1756–1763 192
the origins of the american revolution, 1756–1776 199
the american War of independence, 1776–1783 206
Notes 211
8 the age of George iii, 1760–1789 213
George iii and the politicians, 1760–1770 213
Politics and party, 1770–1789 221
reform politics, 1763–1789 231
Notes 241
9 the crisis of the hanoverian regime, 1789–1820 243
the revolutionary and napoleonic Wars, 1789–1820 243
radicalism and patriotism, 1789–1820 253
the politics of wartime and after, 1789–1820 265
the avoidance of revolution, 1789–1820 275
Notes 282
10 state and church in later hanoverian Britain, 1757–1832 287
Monarchy and the party system, 1780–1832 287
the state and the law 295
the retreat from the confessional state, 1756–1820 303
anglicans and evangelicals 303
Methodists and dissenters 310
Notes 317
11 the social Foundations of the later hanoverian regime, 1757–1832 321
the United Kingdom 321
an imperial and commercial nation 331
the social order 337
a transfiguring aristocracy 337
a cohering middle class 341
a self-conscious working class 347
constructions of gender in later hanoverian Britain 352
Notes 360
contents ix
12 the renewal of the regime, 1820–1832 363
the coming of reform, 1820–1830 363
the passage of reform, 1830–1832 372
the reform act of 1832 378
Notes 386
conclusion 391
BiBLiography 397
index 430